NEW YORK, New York -- You'd think a melting pot like New York City would be the ideal place to escape the relentless grip of Alabama football, but think twice. It's infested.

University of Alabama alumni and fans have infiltrated the Big Apple, and the city will know all about it on Saturday, as four city bars will host the Crimson Tide faithful ready to watch the showdown against LSU.

UANYC (Greater New York Alabama Alumni Association) is an alumni organization that coordinates viewing parties at local bars for games throughout the season. The parties are a shared effort among UANYC officers, who each volunteer to be "Gamewatch Captains." Those responsibilities include setting up UA flags and shakers, greeting fans at the door and recruiting new members.

Tuscaloosa native and New York resident Reese Goode said more than 800 people have requested seat reservations at the four bars, and they're expecting more than 1,000 people to come watch the game on Saturday. The Ainsworth in Midtown on the Westside typically serves as the go-to alumni spot on game days, but it's just one of four options this weekend. Also hosting are The Hill (Murray Hill, Eastside), The Fulton (Financial District, Southern Manhattan) and Pub One in Brooklyn.

Goode's official role as a UANYC officer is career development chair, which means he assists current UA students in finding internships in their respective fields of study, aligning recent UA graduates with prospective NYC employers and industry contacts in NYC that are UA Alumni and offering everyday NYC living advice to anyone considering moving here.

"UANYC has worked hand-in-hand with the UA Employer Development and Relations Department in order to create a student mentoring process that we have developed over the past year," Goode said.

The best way Goode describes watching a game with fellow UA alums in NYC is "electric exuberance."

"No other sports bar that I know of in NYC offers French chandeliers, washroom attendants and waitresses adorned in crimson uniforms," he said. "For this weekend in particular, I think it safe to say that anyone who's wandering the streets of Manhattan on Saturday night will be learning the lyrics of a classic song called 'Rammer Jammer.'"

As a native Tuscaloosan and UA alumnus, Goode said he holds a tremendous amount of pride in knowing that he can help other Alabama fans in New York have a great experience that will help them feel right at home. Plus, it doesn't hurt to make new connections in the big city.

"My own personal experiences at the Ainsworth have been extremely beneficial to both my social and business lifestyles," Goode said. "I've established some extremely valuable relationships with UA alumni that have carried far beyond just being Alabama football fans."

The Ainsworth is also former Tide quarterback Greg McElroy's bar of choice to watch games, as he's been spotted there several times, even smoking a cigar after Alabama's 37-6 victory over Tennessee.

Keeping a close and nervous watch on the game from New York on Saturday will be NYC blogger and Tuscaloosa native Jana Mobley, sister of Alabama tight end Brad Smelley.

Always wearing her brother's No. 17 jersey, Smelley says she was completely blown away when she watched her first game at the Ainsworth.

"I felt like I was in Tuscaloosa, somewhere on the Strip or downtown, watching the game," Mobley said. "Everyone has their shakers, Bama signs are hanging everywhere, the fight song and Sweet Home Alabama play throughout the game and the fans go crazy the whole time. And you see so many familiar faces."

For Mobley , the commonality she shares with the other fans gives her great comfort hundreds of miles from her hometown in Tuscaloosa.

"New York is a place where, at times, you can feel really separated from the people around you because there are so many people with different cultures, backgrounds, beliefs and opinions," she said, "It is so awesome to join together every Saturday, with one goal, all screaming 'Roll Tide' for four hours straight."

She said her brother thinks it's great that the city has such a huge Alabama fan presence and that you can find Crimson Tide faithful pretty much anywhere you go throughout the U.S.

"When I talked to him the Sunday after watching my first game there, he wanted to be sure I represented him in NYC by wearing his No. 17 jersey," Mobley said. "I thought that was funny. And of course I wear that jersey with pride, every weekend."

The Ainsworth transforms from typical Midtown Manhattan bar into full-on Alabama alumni viewing party as soon as the ball kicks off on Saturdays. (Ben Flanagan/al.com)

She says having a brother on the field creates a pretty nerve-wracking experience for her during the games, and it usually takes her several minutes to calm down beforehand.

But even though she can't watch the game the way she prefers, in Bryant-Denny Stadium, the UANYC community doesn't let it bother her.

"There is definitely nothing that can beat watching a game in Bryant Denny Stadium," she said. "Since moving away, I appreciate the beauty and atmosphere of a Tuscaloosa game day more than ever. It's as good as it gets. But when I'm not able to make it to Tuscaloosa for games, I enjoy the Ainsworth so much that I don't feel like I'm missing out."

Bama fans in NYC Ainsworth barUniversity of Alabama alumni and fans gather at the Ainsworth bar in New York to watch Alabama play every week. (Ben Flanagan/al.com)